Unit 7 - Software

Question 1

What is DOS?

Answer 1

Disk Operating System. An early operating system introduced by Microsoft in 1975 as MS-DOS.

Question 2

What is a BIOS?

Answer 2

Basic Input/Output System. A chip that contains the boot instructions for a computer.

Question 3

What is updating your BIOS called?

Answer 3

Flashing.

Question 4

What is a POST?

Answer 4

Power On Self Test. A BIOS function that checks all hardware is present and working. After that, the OS starts taking over.

Question 5

What is CMOS?

Answer 5

Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. It’s powered by a small battery and used to contain the BIOS configuration. If the battery died, settings were lost. The BIOS config is now on flash memory and CMOS just keeps the system clock.

Question 6

What is Firmware?

Answer 6

Software for hardware. Hard-coded instructions built into a device that cannot be updated and can be updated with difficulty.

Question 7

What is an API?

Answer 7

Application Program Interface. Used to make requests of hardware. API > OS > Drivers > Device.

Question 8

What is FAT?

Answer 8

File Allocation Tables. Used by MS-DOS to format disks. Later upgraded to FAT-16 and then FAT-32.

Question 9

What is de-fragmentation?

Answer 9

Files being saved and deleted would fragment hard-drives which causes slow access time. Defragmentation was run to resolve this.

Question 10

What is NTFS?

Answer 10

New Technology File System. Used by Windows 10 as file system. Can resize volumes and have user quotas.

Question 11

What is APFS?

Answer 11

Apple File System, used by MacOS 10.13 as file system. Provides improved access speed, on-demand volume size.

Question 12

What is ext4?

Answer 12

Fourth Extended file system. Used by Linux as file system, provides fragmentation protection.

Question 13

What cross support is there across OS for file system?

Answer 13

None! If you format a drive on a Mac, Windows cannot read it.

Question 14

What is a MIS?

Answer 14

Management Information System. Used for lower and mid-level management.

Managing files, sorting company data, creation action plans, track inventory, budget, porsonnel management.

Question 15

What is TPS?

Answer 15

Transaction Processing system. Handles operational transactions. Used by workers.

Payroll systems, order processing, inventory tracking, data validation, funds transfer.

Question 16

What is DSS?

Answer 16

Decision Support System. Designed to look at the future and make informed decisions, used by middle management.

Revenue predictions, hiring needs, inventory analysis, future sales.

Question 17

What is EIX?

Answer 17

Executive Information System. Similar to DDS but designed for executives, focuses on the big picture.

Performance analyses, inter-departmental productivity, market research data, future performance.

Question 18

What is OLAP?

Answer 18

Online analytical processing. High performance data analyses, used by middle management.

Sales figures, product info, product comparison, employee information, data mining, creating reports.

Question 19

What is data ming?

Answer 19

Producing useful information from large amounts of data.

Question 20

What is software?

Answer 20

Either an OS or an application. OS uses hardware, applications have specific tasks.

Question 21

What is freeware?

Answer 21

An app provided for free. Donations might be asked.

Question 22

What is Open Source?

Answer 22

Source code of the app is freely shared.

Question 23

What is adware?

Answer 23

Software sponsored by adds. You will see them in the app at strategic locations. You can sometimes buy an ad-free version.

Question 24

What is off the shelf?

Answer 24

A generic application not tailor-made for a specific user or company.

Question 25

What are the advantages of Subscription apps?

Answer 25

Prevent piracy

Software is more affordable due to monthly charges instead of one-off

You usually get upgraded to newer versions for free.

Question 26

What is malware?

Answer 26

Destructive or nefarious code. It will have viruses or trojan horses embedded.

Question 27

What is the first version of an app called?

Answer 27

Alpha version

Question 28

What is a beta version of an app?

Answer 28

A version that contains most of the functionality and which is extensively tested. .

Question 29

What is an embedded system?

Answer 29

A special purpose device that performs one primary task again and again. Fire alarm, voting machine, GPS, washing machine.

Question 30

What is a microprocessor?

Answer 30

A really small CPU. Data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit, or a small number of them.

Question 31

What is a microcontroller?

Answer 31

A chip containing a processor, RAM, output and input all build in. I/O travels through the pins.

They have less RAM, hard to upgrade, and firmware on them. High reliability

Question 32

What are the steps in software development?

Answer 32

The life cycle is:

Analyze requirements
Planning
Design
Development
Testing
Deployment/maintenance

Question 33

What is done during Analyse requirements?

Answer 33

Ask yourself what the problems are that the software needs to solve, and write them down in a requirements document.

Question 34

What is the Planning phase?

Answer 34

You examine the feasibility of the project, specify team assignments, examine risks and strategies, draw up a budget.

Question 35

What is the design phase?

Answer 35

You create a design document to determine what is going to be developed. Make sure it is within budget and needs to be analysed for flaws.

Question 36

What is the development phase?

Answer 36

This is where coding is happening and the actual software is being created.

Question 37

What happens in the testing phase?

Answer 37

Software is Q&A tested for errors and for functionality. Coders will be notified and fix those errors.

Question 38

What is the deployment and maintenance phase?

Answer 38

The last phase of software, it is in production, being used, and maintained by updating it to solve bugs and problems.

Question 39

What is the waterfall model?

Answer 39

A rigid model flowing downwards, it’s straightforward and moving to the next step when one is completed. You don’t move backwards.

Question 40

What is the spiral development model?

Answer 40

You intentionally go through several planning, design, development, testing cycles. It’s very thorough but may take longer to develop.

Question 41

What is the Big Bang Model?

Answer 41

A newer model where design, requirements, coding and testen all happen at once with fairly little planning. Big risk, but software can be released faster.